Floating a Car Related Business Idea

[onewhippedpuppy]

Again, price sensitivity is the real question. Motion, if you have climate controlled storage for $50/mo you've got it good. Crappy storage units with no electricity are over $100/mo here.

It's easy enough to build, but without the space and agreeable HOA to build a shop or extend a garage, the choices are limited. The average car guy isn't going to buy land and build a shop to store a classic car or two. An entire collection sure, but that's fairly rare around here.

[PorscheGAL]

A Pelican member has something like you're talking about. Might want to reach out and ask him some questions.

ATLANTA PELICANS - Monthly Gathering

[Paul_Heery]

Originally Posted by Shaun 84 Targa

That's why I'm planning this out in NYC...Brooklyn, with a car service to get you from the City, and back again after you've had your day of fun.

^^ This is someone that has done his homework. And, sorry for the hijack.

Not only do you need to have a good facility & provide exceptional service, it needs to be located somewhere that will make sense to your clients. When I first read that Shaun was going to base his business in Brooklyn, my first thought was "Why? There is no place to drive in Brooklyn". Then it hit me, there are a lot of places to drive to from Brooklyn that are within two hours. I could see a lot of fun cars being stored in Brooklyn during the week and then taken out the weekend house in the Hamptons.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Thanks Paul. I hope to have the business plan done by August. Of all my projects, this one is my favorite. I'd like to start in Brooklyn but have a second place in Harlem. There's a lot of driving from Westchester north and west. Brooklyn covers the Hamptons and Jersey.

The goal is not to store existing cars, with additional capabilities of course, that are in NYC, but to allow a significant percentage of the top 2% in the City to GET a car of their dreams. It's not so much about the money as it is time and ease of access. And community. and some other things.

owning a classic car (we won't allow cars newer than 1998) in NYC should be an absolute pleasure, not a pain in the balls.

[reachme]

I remember the guys who did the "Car Talk" radio show (Shaun will know who I mean) used to run a business like this. I remember them saying guys would get the car on the lift and get halfway into a project and then be unable to finish. Others would be waiting so they wound up fixing the guys car for free just to get it off the lift.
I'm sure there's a recording somewhere online of this

[rusnak]

Shaun, best of luck in your business. I mean it, you are one of the good guys.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

That just means you don't know me.

But thanks. Traveler Kids is getting to a place where it won't need so much tending and I've been wanting to do this for years. And moving to Brooklyn is a dream. Same time next year, we'll see how far I've gotten. Still working on carbon fiber bathing suits too.

[clearwaterms]

Shaun,

How does your idea compare to classic car club manhattan?
Classic Car Club Manhattan - the only reference I have for this place is that its on that youtube channel /Drive and they seem like pretty cool guys.

[Shaun @ Tru6]

There are are some similarities. It looks like they own the cars and you rent them out. I will have to study them more, thanks for sharing!

At least we'll have good clothing.

[rusnak]

Or Passo Tourismo.

https://www.facebook.com/pages/Passo-Tourismo/306823961515

[herr_oberst]

Onewhipped, now that the thread is starting to peter out, I'll talk about what I think would be super cool, and I know it's been done, and I know this isn't what you are interested in offering, but I have a vision of a "neighborhood" where people buy individual buildings of various sizes that are built to a visual set of standards but could be configured in the interior any way the owner desires. Lofts, carwashing drains, lifts, seating; limited only by budget...
The neighborhood aspect would make it like those Airparks where people have hangers right outside the front door of their home.

I could see a common asphalt area for show and shines and family events, nicely landscaped of course, a common multi bay shop with large shop tools for all to use, maybe an auditorium for movies, presentations, etc...

My imagination runs wild. A road course? Drag strip? Lake?

People could buy lots large enough to build homes and garages, and live in the neighborhood, or just buy a garage lot...

I'm sure everyone on this board has had the same idea.....If I had been lucky enough to come from a monied family, I think I would be totally on board with such a facility.....

(Ahh, pipe dreams! The currency of my life!)

[onewhippedpuppy]

Shaun, are you doing any more kids Porsche shirts? My little guy has outgrown the one from about a year ago.

Herr, I think some of the private race track communities are like that. Sort of a country club for car guys. If I had the means.....

[Shaun @ Tru6]

Matt, I still have a few of those shirts if you want a bigger size, just let me know and I'll send one out if I have the size, or next larger.

I did a Ferrari (below), and the Aston Martins and Jaguar above for Fall, no Porsche sorry. The next Porsche shirt I do will be for men this summer and boys for Spring 16. It will be either a 918 or a 917 made out of words like the Fall 15 Text Dog below. The Text Car shirt will have words that curve and wrap and may show perspective. Tough call right now, it will probably be a 30 hour design to do right. The dog took 10 and it's just horizontal and vertical placement and sizing.

[drcoastline]

I didn't read all three pages of posts so pardon me if I am redundant. Similar businesses as described are already in existence. Typically occupying old car dealerships. On site storage is available both inside and out, lift and tool rental is also available. Some operate on a club basis to defer liability. As with any sort of lease/rental insurance should be mandatory as well as a hold harmless agreement.